Bennett Pitches Berlin Past Law In Tourney Opener

By Rick Volk

As they sat in the drizzle Tuesday, Berlin fans had a big question on their minds: Would someone get a key hit?

They knew ace Connor Bennett was throwing a strong game against visiting Jonathan Law. They knew the CIAC Class L playoffs would mean sudden death for one team.

The answer to the question came in the form of Jordan Zima’s third hit of the game in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Mitch Williams, to provide the 2-1 lead that Bennett would make stand up in the Law seventh.

Bennett (7-2 on the season) struck out 10 hitters, keeping the Lawmen off balance all game, changing speeds on his fastball, combined with assortment of breaking pitches and changeups. It is unlikely that the Milford-based team had seen a pitcher all year with Bennett’s ability to change speeds and throw breaking pitches for strikes. Indeed, Berlin itself has not faced such a pitcher this season.

Bennett struck out every opposing starter except Rob Griswold at least once, yielding only four hits and one fifth inning run.

The decisive Berlin rally began with a Mitch Williams leadoff single. With the hit and run play on, Jeff Sylvester’s shot up in the middle moved Williams up, but the Law shortstop, Jim Palmer, made the defensive play of the game to get an out at first. After Law right-hander Rich Dow retired Dante Vasi, Dow got Zima in a two-strike hole, but left a curveball up over the plate and the senior Redcoat catcher slapped a hit to right center to plate Williams.

The Redcoat defense played well behind Bennett, with the game’s only harmless error coming on an errant Bennett throw.

Palmer erased Berlin’s 1-0 in the 5th lead with a smash off the glove of Redcoat shortstop Matt Rocco, scoring Mack Taylor, who had advanced on Griswold’s infield hit.

After three scoreless innings, the Redcoats broke through in the fourth with Williams doubling home Daren Grabowski, who led the inning off with a triple.

The Redcoats (now 14-7) advance to a round two game Wednesday in Meriden against Wilcox Tech. The Indians, seeded #7 in Class L, defeated Darien 11-10 on Tuesday.

LAW

• Jim Palmer ss 3-0-1
  
• Dillon Rocha cf 3-0-0
  
• Jake Rouse 3b 3-0-0
  
• Kevin Johnson lb 3-0-0
  
• Rich Dow P 3-0-2
  
• Dave DeRubeis pr 0-0-0
  
• Mack Taylor dh 1-1-0
  
• Drew DeRubeis c 3-0-0
  
• Rob Griswold 2b 2-0-1
  
• Dave Pingarron ph 1-0-0
  
• Tim Mayer rf 3-0-0
  
• Nolan Rourke lf 0-0-0 BB: Taylor
  
• RBI: Palmer
  
• SH: Taylor 
  
• P Rich Dow(L, 2-4) 6IP, 8H, 2R, 2ER, 0BB, 2K
  

BERLIN

• Greg Konowski rf 3-0-0
  
• Daren Grabowski cf 3-1-2
  
• Mitch Williams 3b 3-1-2
  
• Jeff Sylvester dh 3-0-0
  
• Dante Vasi lb 3-0-0
  
• Jordan Zima c 3-0-3
  
• Matt Rocco ss 2-0-0
  
• Kyle Naples ph 1-0-0
  
• Anthony Sisti lf 2-0-0
  
• Alec Norton 2b 2-0-1 
  
• 2B: Grabowski, Norton, Williams
  
• 3B: Grabowski
  
• RBI: Williams, Zima 
  
• P: Bennett(W, 7-2), 7IP, 4H, IR, IER, 1BB, 10K